Rush Hour head back to NTS Radio w/ Antal and …John Gomez

After a bit of radio silence, Antal and John Gomez are heading back to the NTS studio in London for a two hour Rush Hour show this Saturday August 8. Next to playing a lot of personal favorites, the label special will also be about upcoming releases. John has participated since the very first show, so a proper introduction is in order.

You started hosting the Rush Hour specials on NTS about a year ago. How did you get involved?I’ve known Antal for about ten years. We met in Madrid at one of his gigs with KC The Funkaholic and have stayed in touch since. Over the years I have reviewed some of the events he has organized for magazines like Shook. When the opportunity came up to do a Rush Hour show on NTS, Antal wanted someone in London who was knowledgeable of all aspects of Rush Hour’s musical output – from obscure Malian records to the latest Detroit techno – and who would be comfortable speaking to different types of guests. But more than anything else, I think Antal likes to work with friends who he knows share his passions.

The first Rush Hour NTS show ft. Rick Wilhite, Jungle By Night, Awanto 3 and John Gomez in September 2014.

What is your background in music?Music has always occupied a privileged place in my life. When I was younger I played a lot more as an instrumentalist, studying the trombone first and, later, percussion in places like Cuba, Brazil, and Indonesia. Now I spend more time thinking about music and writing about it, sometimes for music press, other times more academically.

What keeps you currently occupied when it comes to music?Right now I have less time to write about music, but I play regularly in London at places like Brilliant Corners. I also run a night, Tangent, with supreme digger and DJ Nick the Record. Since Plastic People closed, London nightlife has been in need of a reboot. We like to think that Tangent is, in a small way, contributing to giving those people tired of generic music on mediocre soundsystems a new home or, at least, a new, happy destination.

There will be a new show this Saturday August 8, what can we expect?That’s up to Antal! I was in Japan before the last show we did together and I got a message saying he wanted to do a strictly Brazilian 45s show. I only had a couple of hours when I got back to London to travel home and get a selection together. I have yet no idea what he has planned for this time. It’ll be a surprise for me, as much as for you.